Six lessons from London ceremony

How many of you got to see the Opening Ceremony of the London Olympics on TV? Danny Boyle (right photo), famous director of the movie Slumdog Millionaire, was the man behind the amazing, if typically British and eccentric, show.

On the sidelines of the show, he made many philosophical statements which I want to share under the Speaking Tree:

1. When you don't feel the need to compete, you are free:

He recalled that when he got the assignment of directing the opening ceremony, he wondered if he and his team was required to compete with the last Olympics at Beijing, which was of gargantuan proportions. "Beijing is something that, in a way, was great to follow, because up to Beijing you can look back and clearly, there was an escalation, the shows get bigger and bigger and bigger. And you can't get bigger than Beijing." Once he realized he didn't have to do that, he said he found it very liberating.

2. Find your place in the world, modestly:

According to Danny, the ceremony, "which coursed from our green and pleasant land to the digital age of social media via the industrial revolution, was an attempt to explore Britain’s new place in the world with modesty and pride.

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“We are learning our new place in the world... one hundred years ago, we were everything. But there is a change, and we have to learn our place in the world. The ceremony is very proud, but I hope, in a modest way.”

3. Do it for yourself. You can't please everyone:

When acccused of creating a political show, Danny said, “The sensibility of the show is very personal. A group of us have created it but we had no agenda other than values that we think are true.” He added that he was unconcerned if it seemed parochial. “You do it for yourselves, you can’t do it for the whole world. People will be baffled at times, and I hope it will be charming, not annoying.”

4. Give your best no matter what the conditions:

On the effort put in by his volunteers, Boyle was full of praise. He said his volunteers had rehearsed for months, in often dismal weather, to make the show. "They really are the best of us," he said. "They have given up their time, their energy. Their family and friends have suffered. They have turned up in appalling conditions and danced their hearts out.”

5. Put in trust, expect no personal gains:

One of his three acts was dedicated to Berners-Lee, the scientist who invented the world wide web. But as Danny clarified, "Even more important than that is he put it in trust, made no personal gain”. “Instant human communication is free to us all,” added Danny.

6. People may think you're eccentric, but be proud of yourself:

Asked if his show was an eccentric one, Boyle said, “I don’t think it’s eccentric because I wouldn’t, I’m British, but others might think it is. If it is, I’m proud of it.”